NORFOLK, VA -- The Colonial Athletic Association announced members of its all-conference women's basketball team as well as its Player, Coach, Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year as selected by the league's ten head coaches and a panel of 10 media members. Senior guard Okeisha Howard was named to the league's First Team, junior forward Monique Coker was tabbed Second Team, and sophomore Shareese Grant was awarded All-Defensive honors.

Virginia Commonwealth University senior forward Kristine Austgulen (Bergen, Norway) captured CAA Player of the Year honors after leading the league in both scoring (18.7ppg) and rebounding (10.7rpg). The only First Team All-CAA repeat selection from last season, Austgulen has been a standout both in the classroom and on the court. The two-time First Team Academic All-America selection boasts a 4.0 GPA and was recently honored as the Verizon Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for women's basketball. On the hardwood, Austgulen posted a CAA season-high 14 double-doubles before missing VCU's last four games with a back injury. She currently holds 10 school career records and ranks third in the VCU record book with 1,572 career points and second all-time with 799 career rebounds. She is the first non-ODU player to win the award since 1991.

Howard, a First Team All-CAA selection in 2001, averaged a team-high 15.0 points per game and returns to the First Team after being voted to the Second Team last season. Lea, a junior transfer from UNC-Chapel Hill, tops the Seahawks and ranks eighth in the CAA in scoring (13.4ppg) and is one of the CAA=s most versatile performers. Price moves up from the 2002 All-CAA Second Team after averaging a team-high 17.7 points along with 6.8 rebounds per contest for the Dukes. Trapp led Delaware with 16.9 points per game and a team-high 69 steals. Trapp and UNCW senior guard Rachael Friesen-Norwood (Lenoir, N.C./Hibriten) shared Defensive Player of the Year honors. Trapp was part of a Delaware defense that allowed a league-low 53.1 points per game. Friesen-Norwood led UNCW and was among the league's leaders with 39 steals. She helped spearhead a UNCW defense that led the CAA in field goal percentage defense (35.0%) as well as three-point field goal percentage defense (24.5%).

UNCW's Ann Hancock garnered CAA Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Seahawks to a school record 22 victories and an overall record of 22-5. UNCW posted a conference mark of 14-4 and enters this week's tournament as the #3 seed which matches the team's highest seed in 18 previous championship appearances. The Seahawks top the CAA in scoring margin (+13.3ppg), assists (15.3pg), three-point field goal percentage (35.5%) and assist/turnover ratio.

Drexel freshman standout Catherine Scanlon (Glenolden, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) was voted CAA Rookie of the Year. A 6-0 guard, Scanlon averaged 8.0 points and and ranked 10th in the CAA with 6.6 rebounds per game. Scanlon, who started 26 games for the Dragons, was voted CAA Rookie of the Week five times during the regular season.

Austgulen was also honored with the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award which recognizes the basketball student-athlete who Aembodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship through her academic and athletic achievement.

The 2003 Alltel-CAA Women's Basketball Championship tips off on March 12 at the Constant Center on the campus of Old Dominion University where the host Lady Monarchs will be gunning for their 12th consecutive tournament title. The tournament runs through Saturday, March 15 with the finals slated to be televised by Comcast SportsNet/Mid-Atlantic, Comcast-Philadelphia and FOX-New York at 4:00pm.